Dig that first one. The more things change...
Out soon: "True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee"
A new bio looking at the triumph and tragedy of Stan's life (he would approve if my alliteration, I think). The Gaiman blurb indicates to me that it's likely a must-read. Available for pre-order now from Amazon.
Details:
The definitive, revelatory biography of Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee, a writer and entrepreneur who reshaped global pop culture—at a steep personal cost
“A biography that reads like a thriller or a whodunit . . . scrupulously honest, deeply damning, and sometimes even heartbreaking.”—Neil Gaiman
Stan Lee—born Stanley Martin Lieber in 1922—was one of the most beloved and influential entertainers to emerge from the twentieth century. He served as head editor of Marvel for three decades and, in that time, launched more pieces of internationally recognizable intellectual property than anyone other than Walt Disney: Spider-Man, the Avengers, the X-Men, Black Panther, the Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Thor . . . the list seems to never end. On top of that, his carnival-barker marketing prowess more or less single-handedly saved the comic-book industry and superhero fiction. Without him, the global entertainment industry would be wildly different—and a great deal poorer.
But Lee’s unprecedented career was also filled with spectacular failures, controversy, and bitter disputes. Lee was dogged by accusations from key collaborators such as Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko over who really created Marvel’s signature characters—iconic figures for whom Lee had always been suspected of taking more than his proper share of credit. A major business venture, Stan Lee Media, resulted in stock manipulation, bankruptcy, and criminal charges. A second one, POW! Entertainment, has been repeatedly accused of malfeasance and deceit. And in his final years, after the death of his beloved wife, Joan, rumors swirled that Lee was a virtual prisoner in his own home, beset by abusive grifters and issuing cryptic video recordings as a battle to control his fortune and legacy ensued.
Abraham Riesman is a veteran culture reporter who has conducted more than 150 interviews and investigated thousands of pages of private documents, turning up never-before-published revelations about Lee’s life and work. Lee’s most famous motto was “With great power comes great responsibility.” Stretching from the Romanian shtetls of Lee’s ancestors to his own final moments in Los Angeles, True Believer chronicles the world-changing triumphs and tragic missteps of an extraordinary life, and leaves it to readers to decide whether Lee lived up to the responsibilities of his own talent.
New edition of Jack Kirby's "Captain America's Bicentennial Battles" coming from Marvel Comics
Sadly, I didn't nab an original of this one as a kid, although I bought many of Marvel and DC's big tabloid comics. I do have Kirby's masterful "2001" treasury edition, which may never be reprinted due to copyright considerations. Anyway, I've only read this one via scans online and look forward to adding this new edition to my bookshelf. Or floor. I don't have room on my bookshelves. I have piles of books all over my office floor... Oh well, you can pre-order this puppy from Amazon now.
Details from Marvel:
The Marvel Treasury Edition that celebrated 200 years of the United States of America is back, as big as life and better than ever! From the unparalleled imagination of Jack Kirby, it’s a time-spanning adventure featuring Captain America on an incredible journey through his nation’s past — from the American Revolution through two World Wars…and more! Steve Rogers meets major historical figures, makes quite an impact on Benjamin Franklin — and takes inspiration from two centuries of American struggle and progress! Reprinted in all its oversized glory along with suitably patriotic special features, this is one of the Sentinel of Liberty’s wildest adventures of all, without which no Cap collection is complete!
COLLECTING: Marvel Treasury Special: Captain America’s Bicentennial Battles (1976) 1, Mighty Marvel Bicentennial Calendar 1976
Recording of Allen Ginsberg's Beat Generation masterwork "Howl" out in April from Omnivore
A historic recording, never-before-released, with a fascinating story behind it. You can pre-order it now from Amazon.
Details from Omnivore Recordings:
Allen Ginsberg’s first public reading of his epic poem “Howl” took place at San Francisco’s famous Six Gallery in October of 1955. Along with Ginsberg, the evening included readings by Gary Snyder, Philip Whalen, Philip Lamantia, and Michael McClure. Poet and anthologist Kenneth Rexroth was the emcee, and Jack Kerouac, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, and Neal Cassady were in attendance. Unfortunately for literary history, no one recorded the Six Gallery reading, and it was long-thought that the first recording of “Howl” was from a reading at Berkeley in March 1956. Before visiting Berkeley, however, Ginsberg had traveled to Reed College in Portland, Oregon, with Gary Snyder to give a series of readings. Snyder and Philip Whalen had been students at Reed and had studied under the legendary calligrapher Lloyd Reynolds. Other attendees of Reed have included Steve Jobs, James Beard, Barry Hansen (Dr. Demento), Barbara Ehrenreich, Ry Cooder, Mary Barnard, Lee Blessing, Del Hymes, Arlene Blum, Eric Overmyer, and Max Gordon (founder of the Village Vanguard jazz club in NYC).
On February 13 and 14, 1956, Snyder and Ginsberg read at Reed, with the Valentine’s Day performance recorded then forgotten about until author John Suiter, researching Snyder at Reed’s Hauser Memorial Library, found the tape in a box in 2007.
To reflect the distinctive culture of Reed College, Reed Professor of English and Humanities, Dr. Pancho Savery, wrote the liner notes and Gregory MacNaughton of the Calligraphy Initiative in Honor of Lloyd J. Reynolds created the cover in the style of what a poster for the event might have looked like hanging on the Reed campus in 1956. Savery’s notes trace the poem’s history and inspiration and highlight differences in this early, work-in-progress version to the final published text.
Reading “Howl” out loud in front of an audience is an exhausting and emotional experience, so Ginsberg warmed up by reading several shorter poems first. The Reed recording includes these shorter selections and most of Part I of “Howl.” The restored recording is crystal clear; you can not only hear Ginsberg turning the pages, but taking breaths after each long line. The audience is pin-drop quiet except for a few places in the reading, for instance, one moment when someone in the audience says something that can’t be heard that elicits laughter, to which Ginsberg responds, “I don’t want to corrupt the youth.” Other lines generate laughter, but the audience is attentive and respectful, allowing for a present-day fly-on-the-wall listening experience. In testimony to how emotionally draining it was to read the poem two nights in a row, as Ginsberg launches into Part II, he stops after four lines saying, “I don’t really feel like reading any more, I haven’t got any kind of steam. So I’d like to cut, do you mind?” Thus ends the first known recording of “Howl”… and now begins its 21st century access for all to hear.
"The Nevers" - Victorian superheroine series from Joss Whedon coming to HBO in April
Likely worth a look.
Details:
HBO’s new drama series THE NEVERS will debut this April with six-episodes on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. In the last years of Victoria’s reign, London is beset by the “Touched”: people – mostly women – who suddenly manifest abnormal abilities - some charming, some very disturbing. Among them are Amalia True (Laura Donnelly), a mysterious, quick-fisted widow, and Penance Adair (Ann Skelly), a brilliant young inventor. They are the champions of this new underclass, making a home for the Touched, while fighting the forces of… well, pretty much all the forces – to make room for those whom history as we know it has no place.
The ensemble cast also includes Olivia Williams, James Norton, Tom Riley, Rochelle Neil, Eleanor Tomlinson, Amy Manson, Pip Torrens, Denis O'Hare, Zackary Momoh, Elizabeth Berrington, Kiran Sawar, Anna Devlin, Viola Prettejohn, Ella Smith, Nick Frost and Ben Chaplin.
THE NEVERS is created and executive produced by Joss Whedon; executive produced by Bernadette Caulfield, Ilene S. Landress, Doug Petrie, Jane Espenson and Philippa Goslett.
New comics collected editions out now: Manhunter; Legion of Super-Heroes; DC's Greatest Detective Stories Ever Told; Luke Cage Epic Collection
Click the links to order from Amazon.
Pivotal early-1980s Legion of Super-Heroes stories, set just before the epic "Great Darkness Saga," are now available in the first volume of an all-new collection!
The greatest heroes of the 30th century star in these classic stories that set the stage for "The Great Darkness Saga," one of the most beloved tales in Legion history!
First, the Legion--including Mon-El, Brainiac 5, and Phantom Girl--takes on a Circus of Death! Then, the villainous Dagon strikes, kidnapping several Legionnaires' parents for ransom! And the Fatal Five return--now working for the Dark Man!
Plus, in Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes, find out startling new information from the past of the Legion and their ally R.J. Brande!
This volume collects Legion of Super-Heroes #260-271 and Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes #1-3.
Batman may be the World's Greatest Detective, but he's hardly the only sleuth in the DC Universe. This new title collects key adventures starring Lois Lane, the Question, Slam Bradley, Detective Chimp, and everyone's favorite Caped Crusader, Batman.
These tales span DC's history, from 1937 to today, and even include a special appearance by the granddaddy of all detectives, Sherlock Holmes.
Collects Adventure Comics #51, Batman #441, Detective Comics #2, #329, and #572, Lois Lane #1-2, Secret Origins #40, and The Question #8.
Luke Cage burst onto the comics scene in 1972 as the "Hero for Hire." Equal parts Marvel Method and Blaxploitation boldness, he was a new kind of hero for a new era, the historic first African-American character to headline his own series. Cage's adventures depicted New York City's 1970s grit and the plight of its people with a realism that was gripping in its time, all while incorporating larger-than-life villains including Black Mariah and Doctor Doom. This Epic Collection present page after page of classic Luke Cage adventures: Including his origin, his growing relationship with Clare Temple, the first appearance of Cottonmouth, a battle with Iron Man and a fight to the finish for the name Power Man.
Vol. 1: Hero for Hire (1972) 1-16, Power Man (1974) 17-23
In 1973, revered comics writer Archie Goodwin teamed with rising star artist Walter Simonson for a short feature in Detective Comics called Manhunter. Conceived as a colorful contrast to the dark lead stories starring Batman, Manhunter was adventurer Paul Kirk, who criss-crossed the globe in an espionage caper, with the mysterious Council that trained him in pursuit. The story culminated in a team-up with Batman, during which Manhunter was killed in action. This brief but fast-paced epic won two Shazam! Awards, the 1970s equivalent of today's Eisner Awards.
Collects stories from Detective Comics #437 - 443, plus the silent epilogue story first published in the 1990s.
See the trailer for the Justice Society: World War II animated feature
Out later this year.
Details:
Justice Society: World War II finds modern-day Barry Allen - prior to the formation of the Justice League - discovering he can run even faster than he imagined, and that milestone results in his first encounter with the Speed Force. The Flash is promptly launched into the midst of a raging battle - primarily between Nazis and a team of Golden Age DC Super Heroes known as The Justice Society of America.
Led by Wonder Woman, the group includes Hourman, Black Canary, Hawkman, Steve Trevor and the Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick. The Flash quickly volunteers to assist his fellow heroes in tipping the scales of war in their favor, while the team tries to figure out how to send him home. But it won't be easy as complications and emotions run deep in this time-skipping World War II thriller.
This is the first film in the DC Universe Movies series -- of which this film will be No. 42 over the past 14 years -- to feature the Justice Society. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, DC and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Justice Society: World War II will be available on Digital and home entertainment later in 2021.
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